New labour code! Centre to allow employees to have option to work for 4 days a week with longer hours

Feb. 9: The Union Government under its new labour codes would soon provide an option for organisations to allow their employees to work for four days in a week. The Ministry of Labour and Employment is likely to complete the process to finalise the rules for four new labour codes soon. However, the cap on working hours of 48 hours per week will remain sacrosanct. Companies will have to give three days’ of paid leaves and 12 hours of work per day to their employees with the consent of the workers, said Labour and Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra said on Monday.

The Union labour secretary said that the Centre is not forcing employers or employees to comply with the provision adding that this was being brought in to provide flexibility and to be in sync with changing work culture in the country. The rules will be ready in the next few weeks.

Union labour secretary Apurva Chandra said on Monday this provision will comprise a work limit of 48 hours per week, adding that organisations would have three choices – deploying employees for four days at 12 hours per day, five days at around 10 hours per day and six days at eight hours per day. The Union labour ministry is in the process to finalise the rules under the four labour codes, Code on Wages, Industrial Relations, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) and Social Security Codes.